Make These Two Changes to Move Up in Poker Quickly

Joel Wald
19 Sep 2025
Intermediate
This material is for medium-skilled players
Strategy

This video breaks down two critical areas for rapid poker improvement: preflop play and multi-way pots. Through five hand examples, learn when to four-bet, squeeze, and fold marginal hands. Discover common mistakes players make and how tight-aggressive play creates profitable situations.

Master preflop aggression and multi-way discipline. Exploit loose players with strategic four-bets. Fold bluff catchers when action goes bet-call.

Essential Skills for Moving Up Stakes:

  • Four-bet light for dead money - Use position and fold equity to pressure three-bettors when facing cold callers with capped ranges
  • Adjust stack sizes before shoving - Recognize when large opens reduce effective stack depth, making all-in moves with premium hands more profitable
  • Fold top pair in multi-way action - When facing bet-call sequences on dangerous boards, dump marginal made hands even with top pair
  • Squeeze wide from late position - Exploit limpers and weak opens by three-betting aggressively when multiple players show weakness
  • Avoid overcalling without nut potential - In multi-way pots with completed draws, fold bluff catchers that can't improve regardless of price
  • Size up on wet boards in position - Extract value from loose ranges by betting larger when holding strong hands on connected textures
  • Recognize capped calling ranges - Exploit cold callers who signal weakness by four-betting to take down pots preflop without showdown
About the Author
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Joel Wald Professional No-Limit Hold’em Cash Games Player & Coach

Joel Wald is a professional poker coach and player with over five years of experience making a living from poker, mainly playing $5/10 to $10/25 No-Limit Hold’em. He has coached more than 150 students, many of whom went on to win major tournaments or significantly increase their hourly earnings. Joel teaches both live and online strategy, mental game, bankroll planning, HUD analysis, and the balance between GTO and exploitative play. He shares clear, data-driven lessons using tools like Flopzilla, PioSolver, and PokerSnowie.

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